1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of tethers, harnesses, and other restraint systems used in vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of different types of restraint systems have been devised for securing passengers, cargo and seats within a vehicle. For example, the commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,010 discloses a tether securing a seat frame to a vehicle floor, a three point belt system entirely mounted to the seat frame restraining the seat occupant, and a retractor belt combination extending between the vehicle floor and the top of the seat isolating the seat back from passenger force exerted against the seat belt.
In order to limit seat movement during a crash, it has been the practice to tether the seat to the floor; however, a fixed tether limits the horizontal adjustability of the seat. In the commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,207, an automatic locking tether for the vehicle seat is disclosed wherein the seat may be horizontally adjusted to the specific requirements of the occupant. Passenger loading during a crash results in the automatic locking of the tether.
Seats provided within large trucks typically are suspendedly mounted atop the vehicle floor. For example, a cushioned air bag may be positioned between the bottom of the seat and floor thereby providing a cushioned ride. Such seats are typically positioned a substantial distance from the vehicle floor. It is therefore desirable to provide a restraint system which will move the seat and occupant toward the floor during a crash thereby providing a more compact seat occupant envelope. Disclosed herein is such a system.